Page 33 of Back for Seconds

I shot a tentative look over my shoulder, then lowered myself to sit on the front step. “I’m hanging out with a friend. What’re you doing?”

“Oooh, a friend.” Sal paused his cajoling to shout goodbye to a few of his coworkers. Bye, Ronnie. Bye, sweetheart. Bye, baby.

“Jeez, Sally, are you the fucking mayor of Atlantic City?”

He let out a big, booming belly laugh. “Good one. Have you heard from Mom at all?”

“She sent me an email before her flight.” I pulled the phone away from my ear to check the time. Almost one in the morning. “She’s probably on the ship now, pulling out of port. You know she’s on a fuck boat, right?”

“Oh, one hundred percent. Complete fuck boat. She’s coming back pregnant.”

We laughed at that for a good thirty seconds before finally Sally’s laugh petered off and he cleared his throat. “Hey, listen. I heard something tonight from this girl I’m seeing, and I wanted to get the news to you before anyone else.”

Immediately, I began worrying at my bottom lip. “Yeah, I know. I already heard Brian’s girlfriend is pregnant. Maggie Torrez told me at Mom’s ceramics thing. It’s crazy how people are still talking about him. He’s not even from Evergreen. He’s from two towns over! And I left his ass—”

“Well, wait. He actually, uh…” Sal paused. Why would he pause? This was a man who famously never thought before he spoke.

“You’re freaking me out, Sal. What’s going on? Is everything ok?”

“It’s not just that he got his girlfriend pregnant, June. He uh…” He took a steadying breath, and after one long, horrible moment, he spit it out. “Brian’s moving back here. To Evergreen. Like, to the actual island. I heard from Jennifer, who works with his new—whatever, his person—and apparently they want to like…raise their kid here.”

“You’re…joking. This is a prank?”

“Sorry, Juju. It’s all facts.”

I stared into the dark, quiet night until my eyes grew dry.

After a moment, Sal said, “Hello?”

“Why?” I whispered, my voice taut and light, like I’d just been punched in the stomach. “Why? He already hurt me. Why…does he have to do it again and again and—”

“I’m sorry, I really wish it wasn’t true, June. You know people are always fuckin’ making things up, but Jen actually works with…with her.”

“And what?” My voice finally broke—trembled like the tears welling in my eyes, “They just want to come here and act like I don’t exist?”

“Impossible. I won’t let them. We’ll make sure they know this your fucking town, June.”

The crescent moon reflected off my car’s windshield. A fine mist had begun to fall. I closed my eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”

“No,” he said gently. “I’m your brother.”

I let out a small laugh. “Thank you.”

“Are you gonna be ok? Do you want me to come stay—”

“No. I need to be alone.” I cleared my throat and wiped at my nose with the back of my hand.“ I shouldn’t even be crying about this still. It’s been a year. I just…” I shook my head. “Um, tell…tell everyone I say hi.”

Who was everyone? I wasn’t making any sense. I wasn’t here anymore—my brain had abandoned my body.

“Ok, little guy. I’m really sorry. I love you.”

We hung up. I stood, went back inside, pulled on my boots, found my coat, and slipped back out into the night. Joey didn’t stir on the couch, or if he did, I didn’t notice.

I couldn’t look at him. I couldn’t face how I would feel when I looked at him.

What did it even matter?

Anyone can kiss you and blow your mind if you’re the type of idiot who keeps leaving their mind open to getting blown.